Boxford selectmen discuss wind turbine proposal
Wicked Local Boxford|Brendan Lewis|June 17, 2009
Boxford officials are investigating whether it makes sense for the town to install a wind turbine that could provide power for all of the town's operations. However, officials must first go through a number of steps to see if the town is eligible for state grant money and if Boxford, with fewer power needs than surrounding communities, would receive a net benefit.
Boxford officials are investigating whether it makes sense for the town to install a wind turbine that could provide power for all of the town's operations. However, officials must first go through a number of steps to see if the town is eligible for state grant money and if Boxford, with fewer power needs than surrounding communities, would receive a net benefit.
Boxford - Boxford officials are investigating whether it makes sense for the town to install a wind turbine that could provide power for all of the town's operations. However, officials must first go through a number of steps to see if the town is eligible for state grant money and if Boxford, with fewer power needs than surrounding communities, would receive a net benefit from the renewable energy source.
Boxford Public Works Director John Dold presented the idea to selectmen at their Monday meeting, bringing in a project manager from municipal engineering firm Weston and Sampson.
Weston and Sampson project manager Stephen Wiehe explained the process that towns must go through to garner funds from the Commonwealth Wind Incentive …
... more [truncated due to possible copyright]Boxford - Boxford officials are investigating whether it makes sense for the town to install a wind turbine that could provide power for all of the town's operations. However, officials must first go through a number of steps to see if the town is eligible for state grant money and if Boxford, with fewer power needs than surrounding communities, would receive a net benefit from the renewable energy source.
Boxford Public Works Director John Dold presented the idea to selectmen at their Monday meeting, bringing in a project manager from municipal engineering firm Weston and Sampson.
Weston and Sampson project manager Stephen Wiehe explained the process that towns must go through to garner funds from the Commonwealth Wind Incentive Program.
Wieche said that Weston and Sampson, at no charge, would be willing cross-reference town-owned properties with high wind speed areas in Boxford and deliver a cursory report to selectmen.
Selectmen asked the Wieche to go forward with the preliminary investigation.
The state wind program is run through the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, the same agency that is providing roughly $20,000 for the town to construct a solar panel on Spofford School.
Without utility complexes such as water or sewage plants, selectmen questioned whether Boxford has enough power needs to warrant the installation of a 70-meter-tall wind turbine.
"It sounds like a much longer payback for a town like Boxford," said Selectman Preston Galarneau.
Selectman Charles Costello echoed that sentiment later, asking whether technology is available to store the power in the wind turbine in case Boxford cannot use all of the power generated at once.
Wieche said the technology is still in early stages and that there is a possibility to sell back the energy not used by the town.
A 600 kilowatt to 2 megawatt wind turbine can cost anywhere from $2 million to $5 million. However, state funds are available, Wieche said, to cover most of the expense depending on eligibility.
The availability of grant money is intended to help Gov. Deval Patrick accomplish his goal of having 2,000 megawatts of wind power installed in the state by 2020.